May you and your family have a fun-filled day of fireworks, barbecued and togetherness as we celebrate our nation’s birth.
We will resume regular schedule next week.
Simplify Saturday: Meal Planning Made Easier
As a busy mother of two with a full time job and a part-time business on the side, I know a thing or two about how difficult it is to cook. I also know that when you’re not prepared, it’s a lot easier to justify running to the drive through, where you end up spending money and making choices that aren’t the healthiest.
Once during the school year, we went over our monthly bank statement to discover we’d spent $400 that month on eating out. We were shocked…and vowed to do better. We are now doing an experiment in our house- we write on the calendar each time we eat out, and write down each time we cook at home. This is helping us keep track of how much we are spending, but also on how often we are eating at home.
I’d also like to share some other things you can do to ensure that meal times run more smoothly in your home.
1. Keep staple ingredients in your pantry at all times.
Who else here has started following a recipe, only to find that you were missing one or two ingredients you needed? Isn’t it frustrating? Think about your family’s favorite things to eat at home, and isolate the ingredients that are common in those recipes. Then, make sure you keep a stockpile of those ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
2. Plan ahead as often as possible
Planning ahead means that you already have a good idea of what you are going to cook for that week. I have tried to plan two weeks of meals at a time, but sometimes life happens and we don’t stick to it entirely. I’ve now started planning for one week at a time, and planning based on what I have in the pantry, fridge and freezer that week. This way, I am taking our weekly activities into account as well. Gymnastics on Tuesdays? Use the crock pot so it isn’t as time consuming and there is little clean up. Church on Wednesday night?How about salads for dinner? You get the idea.
3. Clean as you go
Do you ever find that there is a giant mess in your kitchen after you cook, and you often do not get to it until hours later? I have had to wake up early before to clean the kitchen from the night before. One way that I handle this are to fill the sink with soapy water and wash/rinse utensils as I’m cooking. I can also soak bowls and pans before popping them into the dishwasher. The second thing I do is to reuse a bowl from meal prepping to put food scraps or trash in. Having a trash bowl saves me trips to the compost bin or trash can. I use a dish that I’ve already used so I’m cutting down on dirty dishes. It doesn’t sound like a huge deal, but it really helps.
4. Pre-prepare as much as possible
I’ve reached a point in my life where I’ve realized I need to spend a little more money at the grocery store to get pre-chopped vegetables once in awhile. I initially felt silly about this, but then I realized it truly does save me a lot of time and prep work in the kitchen.
What have you done to simplify your cooking at home? Please comment below and share your tips with me 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend.
What can you make with pool noodles?
Pool noodles are ridiculously cheap, and you can find them almost anywhere. And while most of us use them to float in a pool, there are many other ways you can use them as well. In today’s Pinterest roundup, I’d like to share some creative ideas for repurposing pool noodles.
You can use them to make a cheap wreath form for a lot cheaper than a foam wreath form.
You can use them to make a footstool for your house, or a faux stone column, or pool noodle luminaries.
Make an obstacle course, a sprinkler, or a track for marble racing.
A pool noodle obstacle course would be a great, easy and cheap fun activity for your kids.
You can cut the pool noodles to create stamps and paint a pattern.
Next week, I’ll share how to organize your home with pool noodles. Have a wonderful weekend, and visit us here tomorrow for a GIVEAWAY!
How to get organized without breaking the bank
Getting organized can be costly, but it doesn’t have to be. You certainly can spend a lot of money on organization if you want, but if you’re budget conscious like me, you don’t want to do that. Luckily, there are many ways to get organized without overspending.
1. Shop discount home stores like TJ Maxx or Home Goods, or use sales coupons.
I love the basket selections at my local big box craft store, but I don’t love the price. TJ Maxx and Homegoods have tons of cute baskets in a number of colors and materials, and they aren’t expensive.
2. Don’t forget the dollar stores
Dollar store bins and baskets aren’t the most durable, so they aren’t appropriate for organizing everything. They’ll do for organizing cabinets, holding bathroom toiletries and organizing your kids’ books,though.
3. Target has awesome baskets, and they’re frequently on sale
I have bought so many cute, durable baskets at Target over the years. They have so many different sizes and styles to choose from.
4. See if you can repurpose or DIY something
I have covered diaper boxes with fabric and used them for bins. I’ve wrapped old mailing boxes with twine so they’d look like a basket. I’ve used tin cans wrapped in scrapbook paper to store things. Before you buy, Look around to see what you already have that can be repurposed.
5. Shop your house
See that basket on my china hutch? It’s been everywhere. It’s been in my bathroom, my kitchen, my office, and now it landed in the dining room. Shop your house to see if you may already have something you can use before you buy anything new.
There are so many ways you can get organized by spending little to no money. All it takes is a little creativity. You’ll be glad you did it later.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Simplify Saturdays: Self-care and taking time for you
Most of us are guilty of working too much, and sacrificing all of our time for everyone else. There is nothing wrong with working hard or giving time to others; in fact, those things are great. But sometimes you do need to take a little time for yourself.
Finding time for you can be difficult amidst all your other demands, but there are a few ways you can sneak in a little “you-time.”
1. Wake up a little earlier
Waking up about 15 or 20 minutes earlier can allow you a little time for yourself. Read a book, go for a walk, or enjoy a cup of coffee on your porch.
2. Evaluate how you spend your time
Is there anything you do each day that wastes your time? I waste a lot of time on my Smartphone each day. By eliminating some of that, I have been able to spend more time on things that make me happy.
3. Delegate those chores
You can’t do everything. I’m the worst for trying to do it all. Delegate some of those chores to your kids. Kids can help with laundry or loading the dishes. Kids can help pick up toys and straighten up the house. Trying to do everything will only stress you out and steal all your time.
5. Learn to say no
Overextending yourself by taking on too much results in stress and no free time. Free up some time by saying no.
When you carve out a bit of time for yourself, think about the things that bring you joy. Whatever makes you feel renewed and happy, do it. Don’t feel guilty about taking time for you. Take time for yourself and be more relaxed.
Have a wonderful weekend.
